Ji.Pra.Ka.Kath. Darta No. 260/2064/065.

Krishi Patrika

A Newsletter on Agricultural & Forestry Technologies, Farmers Rights and Analytical News

Chabahil-7, Ganesh Marg, Adarsh Basti,

PO Box 1045, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Tel (977 1) 4460861, 9841345082,

Email: krishipatrika@gmail.com;

Ref.:                                                                      Date: June, 2008

A Request to the Friends of Nepalese Farmers from ‘Krishi Patrika’

Dear All,

Namaste,

We are a small group of volunteers, publishing ‘Krishi Patrika’ - a newsletter on Agriculture & Forestry Technologies, Farmers Rights and Analytical News in Nepali language. This newsletter is initiated by a small group of dedicated individuals to empower rural farmers through technology transfer, advocacy to farmers' rights, sharing information, and coordination between agricultural research, extension and agricultural groups (farmers, entrepreneurs, technicians and others). This newsletter is a first of its kind and only one for the farmers currently publishing in Nepal.

The objectives of this newsletter is "to create awareness among rural farmers and technology transfer through a published media so to mitigate rural poverty by contributing in transformation of subsistence farming systems into commercialized agriculture". The newsletter is useful to the leader farmers, farmer groups, agricultural cooperatives, entrepreneurs, technicians, students, professionals and all individuals/groups interested in agriculture, forestry and environment conservation. But, due to limited resources, we are finding difficulties to publish in required quantities and distributing it among the wider rural readers especially of the remote villages in Nepal. To strengthen the capabilities and the circulations of this Krishi Patrika we are seeking support from the 'Friends/Well wishers of the Nepali Farmers' in this mission to improve the life of Nepalese Farmers.

Background: Nepal is one of the poorest, diversified agricultural countries in the world. Majority of the farmers live in rural areas depending on subsistence mixed farming of crop and livestock, and  are living in a miserable conditions earning less than a $ per day.

The farmers are facing numerous problems relating to technology, input support services, marketing and others hindering the proper growth of agriculture and peasantry. The production and productivity of the agricultural crops are very low mainly due to traditional and obsolete practices; lack to access of appropriate technologies, skilled manpower, weak services of research and extension. Moreover, small fragmented land holding, low budget allocation in agricultural sectors, poor delivery of research findings, weak coordination among agricultural institutions are some reasons of poor performances of agriculture in the country. Until and unless the problems faced by the farmers could not be addressed rightly, the rural poverty and agricultural production would not be alleviated and transformation of subsistence agriculture into commercialized farming would not be possible.

Due to lack of support services and poor agricultural policy and farmer's participation in policy making, government has not been given due priority to the agricultural sector. Since last decades, various farmers groups, organizations, cooperatives have been formed by the concerned agencies to deliver services and technology to the farmer. These groups are smaller, scattered and weak to advocate farmers’ friendly policy/programs in the country. Every major political party have their own agricultural wings but are found to deal with political issues rather than real agricultural problems. An independent, non-political  organization to create awareness on improved technologies, raise the voices/issues of the farmers’ problems, advocacy to the farmers rights in a suitable manner is lacking. In this regard, a published media such as Krishi Patrika - an agricultural newsletter could be an effective means to create awareness among the farmers, to contribute in poverty mitigation through technology transfer as well as to work as a pressure groups to resolve the contemporary farmers' problems at policy level an in program implementation.

The need of a published media in agricultural sector: There are over 5,000 newspaper/magazines published in Nepal mainly covered with contemporary political news, cheap entertainment and other fields. Some agencies/organizations are publishing agricultural and other technical magazines/newsletter also but mostly in English with research highlights. Similarly, some are publishing agricultural news occasionally but due to limited circulation and access to the rural areas these publications are fail to meet the farmers need. Moreover, these newspapers are providing mainly one sided information; lacking the views, news and feeling of the farmer. In such a situation, to create awareness and to provide relevant information to the farmers, technicians involved in agriculture/forestry, entrepreneurs/businessperson/industrialists, agricultural experts/researchers/students, policy makers/planners/politicians involved in agricultural issues through a published media, the publication of this ‘Krishi Patrika’ has been initiated. This publication will also contribute to carryout interaction between the farmers and concerned authorities to resolve the contemporary problems/issues and the transformation of the subsistence agriculture into commercialized farming as well.

The publication of the Krishi Patrika: The Krishi Patrika (Agricultural newspaper) - is registered with the Government of Nepal, registration number Ji. Pra.Ka.Kath. Darta No. 260/2064/065.  The newspaper is publishing regularly from 26 Mansir 2064 BS (12 November, 2007) on every 1st and 16th of the Nepali months.  This newspaper is also registered with the General Post Office, regd. no. Go.Hu. Ka. Da. No. 29/2064/065 and the newspapers are being circulated through postal services. This ‘Krishi Patrika’ paper is a non-political, non-communal, non-religious, gender friendly and non-profit making publication, solely devoted to improve the life of farmers and their welfare through agriculture & forestry development.

The newspaper contains eight pages with various technical articles, analytical news, views, experiences, interviews, analysis of government/non-government programs/ policies/ events, international agricultural activities and other relevant information to farming, livestock, forestry, soil/environment conservation, medicinal plants, feeds & nutrition, agro-enterprises/marketing, international and other issues. Presently, we- a small group of volunteers (esteemed professional in the field of agriculture, livestock, forestry, soil conservation, agro-economics and other) are involved in its publication. Ours aim to distribute this newsletter to every agricultural household of the villages.

The target readers: Our target readers are all individual farmer, various Farmers Groups, Community Forestry User/ Leasehold Forestry Groups, Animal Health Workers, Agricultural/Forestry Technicians,  Agricultural & Forestry Professionals/Experts/ Planners, Researcher, Students, Village Development Committees/Ward Committees, Rural based Schools/Clubs/ Libraries, Entrepreneurs, Businesspersons, Agro-enterprises and others associations especially of the rural areas.

Sustainability measures:  Presently, due to lack of adequate resources, we are finding difficulties for the publication as well as distribution of this Krishi Patrika in required quantities. We urge to you for the support to strengthen our capabilities and circulation at the initial stage. We are planning to distribute this Krishi Patrika as a complementary copy to each of the farmers/forestry groups in the first year (immediately); the farmer/forestry groups will be requested to pay its annual subscription fee from their own resources as soon as possible. On the other hand, support in wider publication, circulations and distribution of this newsletter during the first year period will enable us to upgrade the quality of the newspaper and will make it economically self-sustained. The large circulation and collection of the annual subscription fee will generate additional fund which will be used to organize interactions, workshops, trainings, skills/technologies transfer among the rural farmers especially on the issues raised/published in the newsletter, so as to resolve the farmers’ contemporary problems/issues and to contribute in transformation of the subsistence agriculture into commercialized farming.

Support Needed in Following Areas: For the sustained publication of this newsletter- Krishi Patrika, we request you all to provide your kind support in following areas:

o       Sponsorship to strengthen its publications and distribution in required quantities each of the village committees and potential farmers groups in remote villages,

o       To design and hosting of the website of this newsletter,

o       Office equipments support (computer, fax. Camera, recorder etc),

o       Human Resources (Reporters/Writers, Editors, Volunteers, Distributors etc),

o       Reference materials, books, magazines etc

o       Organizing interactions, workshops among major stakeholders in key issues,

o       Carrying out investing news on thematic issues, commodities/organization etc,

o       Up-scaling of the quality of the newsletter and others.

Krishi Patrika Registration Details:

• Registration Number: Government of Nepal, Ji. Pra.Ka.Kath. Darta No. 260/2064/065.  
• Postal Office registration: General Post Office, Go.Hu. Ka. Da. No. 29/2064/065.
• Pan Number: 600037680 Dated: 02.10.2064 BS
• The annual membership (International) fee is US$ 25 (individual) and  $ 50 (for organisation). The life membership is  $ 100 (for individual) and $ 500 (for organisation), Patronage $ 10,000
• One can sponsor this paper to any village, schools, farmers groups etc, the annual fees for 10 member/individual is only US$ 200,  we will circulate/distribute this newsletter with your name as a sponsor.
• The bank account are " Krishi Patrika", Nepal Bank Ltd, Chabahil, Kathmandu Current Account number 0064-11-0007035.
• An electronic copy of the Krishi Patrika is atatched for your kind information.

We look forward to work together to contribute in the improvement of the life of the poor farmers of Nepal.

Sincerely,

Editor, Krishi Patrika,

Chabahil-7, Ganesh Marg, Adarsh Basti,

PO Box 1045, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Tel (977 1) 4460861, 9841345082,

Email: krishipatrika@gmail.com;